Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne is expected to hand down a sentence today in a case in which the prosecution has asked the Serious Offences Court to give a “short, sharp shock” of a prison sentence to a hotel worker who stole US$1,140 from a member of the delegation of the Indian president when he visited St Vincent and the Grenadines last week.
Prosecutor Renrick Cato made the request as Maruth Francis pleaded guilty to a charge that between May 14 and 19, she stole US$1,140, the property of Anju Sharma, of Suriname.
The court heard that Sharma, who works at the Embassy of India in Suriname, travelled to St Vincent as part of the advance party ahead of the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind. Sharma stayed at a local hotel and made reservations also for the presidential delegation.
According to a report from Loop News, Francis was assigned to clean Sharma’s room and on May 14, after speaking with her mother, Sharma secured the funds totalling US$1,160.
But on May 19, when she went to retrieve the funds she found it contained only US$20.
The matter was reported to the police and following a search of Francis’ home, a Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines pass book was retrieved.
While being questioned by the police, she admitted to stealing the money. Police later recovered EC$1,790 from Francis.
In mitigation, Francis, who was not represented, told the court that she has a three-year-old child and asked to be given an opportunity to repay the money.
But in his submission, the prosecutor said that Francis was placed in a position of trust, and breached that trust.
The Chief Magistrate, observing that Francis had displayed no remorse, remanded her into custody until her sentencing on Tuesday.
